Process of extracting iron from its ores



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'sratiun jailed 2112311 5 mi: county 01 W Yafk 7 have b .VQIHTQC & FPmuesses of nfrmn @ms, f 'vpich a, full, clean, anal exact able eiectroiyt is pessibia :9 0'5 imn 01' 0: 5

mspenc irid c0 11- "0 m conjunctmn with 9 11,11-

ecmms t} e mmurities inas the process or on lu s, may potent 0 Inn-en.

I ess the owe i5 Wail "then, me 1 a? raw! It ihe be in:

Ewe/d ore but as i 1 21') im IEGOPOS v minmg behind c iiwiy (1-011 m mhy g ass,

an in fiiman 'z to ihe prose J. Um imponznnf 1'0; :11 is that metal is c nfirms r' the we become chhsoh'ed at he anode and (191 asitml at the cathode, the 8011iiih' "um of the mass dl tnrbed due i0 tbs; dissmivingg out at the iron and. the mass drape )Ce into izha I" is ap'i Me. Ai'zimu i zzi'nmult of xud as my of the process by calling we 13 Volta to mamtam the pre- (1 vmctx'sv clu'i'ant sandman. The rew seriousi slaw down Mm spflfi of and 1 in a suiufiion, by pm" removing ingredienis whosa accu'mu lati 11 'wnuld lead. to the use. increased current in the process of electiolyzing, or would interfere with the purity 01'? Kim finishad prpd- 110'; and by prewnfiing the metallic irnn it-hm; separates-in the electrolytic treatment {mm re-wmbil'ling With the acid that fol-1119 115 the iron separates. My pmcess is fm'thef char- HC'iIBif Jd by the fac that almost X10116 of the ingredients that are used ihe prccess is masked, 531- being either re-utiiizad in the przwssss or used to forreadily HWQIChflDi able compmmds,

I I the 0m Wiih a sufiicieni: quantii'j/ of mid t0 dissolve the metallic ing'i'edients the 01%; Much of the economy clap-ends upon the pr-11 961 seleqtian of the T005? suitmb ie acid. Same acids wiil diawlvs i329 mwtafiic ingredients mere quicid and perfiactl than others. Preferably, in dissufairic acid is a practicabie saivant, a ithengh Its 11061011 12; relatrveiy slow (a? die metal is ihllS dismal ed, i first swpazate the memliic co'ntemts 11m"? in soluion, the insoh'sbie gmggue draining" thaw soluziwn. In View of the that aha presance of material foreign to those which are desired in the eisaiirolyte i3 1- most always a disturbing element and g 1 eraliy calls for additional currena Emily and, in the case of an iyon oz'e prea emsnr is via chieride or ferric sulfaiza Any liquid in contact 11 51 a solid adheres so ilk QCiCUSjiy -';0 the so iica that by lung cuntinued draining it be femoved very ti'zoz'oughly. After many hours chaining, ihere will be much 21s 5mm 8 to per cent adhering; and even after passing; thmugh efestive sentrifuge, the zgmouni; of; solution adhering to the material cannot be reduced to much if any, belmv 4- per cent. In thwcasa 0f theT-asidua snex'efsre, ii; becomes necessary, or at 191131 advantageous and economical, to efiecs replacenmni; 0f she i nsidahz by som s chezzpep liquid. A11 :1

ing th, soiutian by solnlion do be by using soluble in we is resoried io. s

or the We! means the iron soluiion is so diluted by its re f 'ew pou amount, nd th insoluble residue is a. more or less couscous factor or" the volume of she increases in rclsitive quantity as the or becomes lower in incisllic contents.

hydrochloric acid" used to dissolve she iron as still gre's 2 economy can. he efi'ected desired by the with concenireled sulfuric acid. This will drive of? oric in theim of .i.' 1 ,4. g summon st 1 ache-filing in the r slime. and the liydro i i'ic ucihset f ee can .sbsorhm'l in Wsier or L. The iron present s agreed into-f rric sulfa which 1 soluble Wl gsngue and the be conlrenieljr uses in ac solucl'iloi'idc or s rate which is and u ed will ems on being N in ii case, while the amount of material lelli on the residue is no 5. cuter than when the chloride is treated ireclly. it now consists. of sulfuric is ciieuper than she chloride of value of (he instcriul losi; is

iron,

red u ced:

siouc.

A 1 to sol by m siou. whatever 114; only be, uli pllffi-l" blc to the I idue only, and 'iherc'iorc cannot 1F. M? I. -.J} New, YT, 11 $1, no much ll 0; Wilde 1i, rl'vllfl: c in we liquids.

' metallic iron without previous anode, has not been success contains from 16% to $021 insoluble gungzue and, so perhaps, 8% of ingredients other than iron. and "he impurities interfere with the elecl-leiither has the use of pig metal K1 rrolyzi to 10% oi impurities othcrcthsn iron. purl; of lhcse impurit es consists of ion. hi h wives trouble as it accumulates This ziccuinulmiion may in ii lea t two ii'iiys: First, by elec rode in the forin o1? I which, nob Watched, cllcct bets-Men. the anode and cathode or inso lee tion, it can be further purified cheaply by precipitating any of the undesired ingredh exits, and the solution thereby is made as pure as may be desired. Asnone of the reagents or acids need be lost or wasted, it will be economical, in many cases, to even purify pig metal and use the same by dis solving the metallic contents in acid.

However. while the use of an acid for the solution of the metallic ingredients of an ore leads to a greater elliciency and more perfect separation of the gangue from the metallic constituents, the acid must not be permanently consumed in the process. It must be so treated thaiz is can be reclaimed for use over again or that its value can be won back. Failure 10 do this would make its cost prohibitive in many cases and therefore would much limit the scope of the process, {is it oenera-lly takes a considerable relufive Weigh; of acid to dissolve the metallic coni-enls of on ore;

the process herein described I depend upon the principle replacement. That is', us each step progresses, I. use a cheaper reagent to replace one that is more expensive; so that the greatest economy is secured Where waste must be incurred, and at the same time she greatest or mosh advantageous value is secured Where the material used heroines available to be sold or otherwis disposed of.

lifter ihesolucion is purified, as above explained, it consists principally (assuming the use hydrochloric acid as a dissolving agent) of ferric chloride containing sulfates. rshzcd, to any suitable storage receptacle,

L and from this it isdelivered to an electrolyeii chamber orcoll. It is there added to hi? proper ingredients to make the suitable lec' :olyte and subjectedto electrolysis by "he usual method. An 1HS0ll1bl8 anode is used, preferably of carbon, together with cn'iron cathode. a result; chemically pure iron will be deposited on the cathode, the ferric chloride being first reduced ferrous chloride.

llhen, however. the iron is deposited on- '110 a small amount of ooher chlorides and a few- .lt is conducted. after being new,

nae

either the ammonium salt-or the nioniacal liquor; (4:) sulfuric acid. There have been. obtained: (1) chemically pure iron; (2) ammonium sulfate. {There remain available for re-use: (1) all the hydrochloric acid; (2) all the weak acid, itsuch has been used, In other words, after the metallic ingredients are separated. and purified, the hydrochlor c acid and the weal; acid, if used, are reclaimed, and the salt in the electrolyte is converted from a disadvantageous condition to a condition in which it, is readily salable. There should be practically no Waste of material in the whole -iron in metallic form bv process, while there is a gainin value.

I have not herein specifically claimed, driving off and reclaiming the hydrochloric acid and converting the ferric chloride into a sulfate by the addition of sulfuric acid before electrolyzing the solution, thus forming ferrous sulfate; this variation of the process forming the subject-matter of a separate appl ication.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of extracting iron from an iron solution which comprises subjecting the same to electrolysis to effect the separation of the iron, and causing the acid set free by such separation to combine with a base other than the iron, thereby neutralizing the same and preventing the re-dissolution of the iron.

2. The process of extracting iron from an iron salt which comprises subjecting the same to electrolysis to ellect the separation of the iron. and adding to the electrolyte a salt termed of a base combined with an acid relatively inactive with iron and adapted to be displaced by the acid set free during the separation the iron to neutral ize the latter acid, and separating from the displaced acid the salt thus formed.

3. The process of extracting iron from an iron salt which comprises subjecting the same to electrolysis to eiiect the separation of the iron, adding to the electrolyte a salt formed of a base combined with an acid relatively inactive with iron and adapted to be displaced by the acid set free during the separation of the iron from its salt to neutralize the latter acid, sepa 'ating: the new salt thus formed in the electrolyte from the displaced acid by crystallization, displacing the acid of the last named salt by another acid to form another salt, and re-using in the process the acid displaced in the preceding step.

i. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating out the electrolysis in which the iron chloride is utilized in the electrolytic bath. and combining a base with case the hydrochloric acid set free during the deposition of iron to neutralize the hydro chloric acid.

5. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolving the iron with an acid, separating out the iron in metallic form by electrolysis in which the iron solution is utilized in the electrolytic bath, adding to the electrolyte a salt formed of a base combined with an acid relatively inactive with iron and adapted to be displaced by the first-named acid to form another salt and neutralize the acid set free (luring the deposition of the iron, and separating from the displaced acid the salt thus formed.

6. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolving th iron with hydrochloric acid, separating out the iron in metallic form by electrolysis in which the iron solution is utilized in the lectrolytic bath, adding to the electrolyte a salt formed of a base combined with an acid. relatively inactive with iron and which acid is adapted to be displaced by hydrochloric acid to form another salt and neutralize the hydrochloricacid set freeduring the deposition of the iron, separating such. salt from the displaced acid, and treating the same with sulfuric acid to form a sulfate of said base.

7. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating out the iron in metallic form by electrolysis in which the iron solution is utilized in the electrolytic bath, adding to the electrolyte salt formed of a base combined with an acid relatively inactive with iron and which acid is adapted to be displaced by hydrochloric acid thus forming another salt and neutralize the hydrochloric acid free during the deposition of the iron, separating such product from the displaced acid, treat ing it with sulfuric acid to form still another sult, and reutilizing in the process the ,aseous hydrochloric acid driven od.

8. The process of extracting iron from .its ore which comprises dissolving. the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating the iron in metallic form from the solution by electrolysis in which the iron solution is utilized in the electrolyte, and adding ammonia to the same, thereby causing" the hydrochloric acid set free, during the deposition of the metallic iron, to be neutralized by combining); with the ammonia to form ammonium chloride.

9. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating, the iron in metallic form by electrolysis in which the iron solution is added to the electrolyte togethcr with a salt composed of ammonia and. an acid relatively inactive with iron acid and forming thereby causing the hydrochloric acid, set free during the deposition of the metallic viron, to he neutralized by combining with the ammonia to form ammonium chloride, and separating the ammonium chloride by crystallization;

10, The process of extracting iron from its oren hich comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating the iron iii-metallic form by electrolysis in which the iron solution is utilized in the electrolyte', adding ammonia to the same, thereby.

, its one which comprises dissolving the iron with'an acid, separating the iron from the solution by electrolysis, and recovering the acid set free during electrolysis and utilizing the same in the treatment of fresh quan titieso'f ore.

12. The process of extracting iron from its ore which comprises dissolying the iron with an acid and'then adding to the solution fresh quantities of ore and passing into the solution fresh quantities .oi"the same acid in aseous form.

13. T e rocess of extractin iron from its ore which comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid and then. adding to the solution fresh quantities of ore and passing into the solution gaseous hydrochloric'acid. 14:. The processof extracting iron from its ore Which comprises dissolving the iron with hydrochloric acid, separating the iron from the solution by electrolysis, forming a chloride by combining With a base an neutralizing the hydrochloric acid set free during electrolysis, treating the chloride with. sulfuric acid to form a sulfate, thereb as, andutisetting free hydrochloric acid lizing said gas to concentrate freshquantities of iron chloride.

In testimony of which invention, I. have city,-'

hereunto set my hand, at NewYork N. Y., on this 3rd day of April, 1919.

ARTHUR J. nominee 

